The latest developments in environmental and sustainability policy, regulation, legislation and voluntary initiatives

POLICY

GREEN DEAL TO CREATE A MILLION JOBS BY 2030

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DETAILS Energy Secretary Chris Huhne has said that the Government&#38;#x2019;s Green Deal to radically overhaul the energy efficiency of homes and small businesses could support a quarter of a million jobs over the next 20 years. The Green Deal will be a new way of making energy efficiency affordable for all. The upfront finance will be attached to the building&#38;#x2019;s energy meter and people can pay back over time with the repayments less than the savings on bills. WEB decc.gov.uk

NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN &#38;#xE01E; DETAILS David Cameron has announced the UK&#38;#x2019;s first ever infrastructure plan, identifying the scale of the infrastructure challenge and the major economic invest- ment that is needed to underpin sustain- able growth in the UK. The Government has committed over &#38;#xA3;40B to infrastructure projects as part of the Spending Review. The plan includes:

&#38;#x2022; investing in a new low-carbon economy &#38;#x2013; including a Green Investment Bank and up to &#38;#xA3;1B for one of the world&#38;#x2019;s first commer- cial-scale CCS demo projects; &#38;#x2022; providing the best superfast broadband in Europe by 2015; &#38;#x2022; investing &#38;#xA3;30B in transport &#38;#x2013; includ- ing a high speed rail network and Crossrail; and &#38;#x2022; ensuring that the UK remains a world leader in science. WEB hm-treasury.gov.uk/press_56_10.htm

VOLUNTARY RESPONSIBILITY DEALS TO REDUCE BUSINESS WASTE

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DETAILS Defra wants to work with businesses to help them reduce their waste and increase recycling through voluntary responsibility deals. Working with firms to put in place voluntary responsibility deals on waste will, it is argued, remove the need for further regulation and will lead to less waste and more recycling with the added benefits of businesses saving money and helping to protect the environment. By encouraging competition between signatories to achieve the outcomes and stimulate growth and innovation the chang- es can be delivered cost effectively. WEB defra.gov.uk/news

UNDER-SEA CO2 STORAGE LICENSING PLANS PUBLISHED

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DETAILS DECC has set out how it will license the storage of carbon dioxide under the sea bed, following responses to its

consultation on the storage of CO2. During the consultation, developers, industry bodies and other interested parties gave their view on potential plans for the broad structure of the proposed licensing system. This includes a proposal for having a licence to cover all phases. TIMELINE DECC will now lay the regulations in Parliament in order to comply with European rules on the underground storage of carbon dioxide. WEB decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/news/ pn10_97/pn10_97.aspx

More Sustainable Business

SCOTLAND HALFWAY TO 2020 CLIMATE TARGET

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DETAILS Greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland have fallen 20% since 1990, ac- cording to the latest official statistics. The figures show a 3% reduction between 2007 and 2008 with total emissions falling from

land&#38;#x2019;s emissions have fallen by 21.2% from 1990 &#38;#x2013; meaning Scotland has reached the halfway point in achieving its 2020 Climate Change Act target of reducing emissions by 42%. WEB scotland.gov.uk/news/releases/ 2010/09/07103500

BIS TURNS SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATORS

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DETAILS UK-manufactured low carbon products that are exported worldwide are being showcased as part of an exhibition at BIS to encourage more companies into this growing market, Business minister Mark Prisk has announced. With the global market for low carbon goods and services projected to rise to over &#38;#xA3;4T by the middle of the next decade, BIS wants to work with the manufacturing industry to attract new businesses to the sector and encourage them to start exporting. Exhibits are provided by Intelligent